Abstract
Purpose Statement: Several studies have shown that aerobic exercise can have a positive impact on alleviating symptoms experienced by individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite this evidence, the potential benefits of exercise for both PD patients and their care partners (PD dyad) remain unexplored. This research project investigates the effectiveness, therapeutic collaborations, and physical outcomes of a virtual reality (VR) tandem cycling program specifically designed for PD dyads.
Methods: Following approval from the Prisma Health Institutional Review Board, individuals with PD were identified and screened by clinical neurologists. The pre-testing measures for PD dyads (N=9) included emotional and cognitive status questionnaires such as the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measure Information System (PROMIS-29) and Geriatric Depression Scale- Short Form (GDS-SF). The physical function of PD patients was assessed using the Functional Gait Analysis (FGA) and 10-meter gait speed test. Firstbeat heart rate (HR) monitors were also used to assess changes in PD dyads’ HR variability before and after the intervention. Over the course of 8 weeks, the dyads engaged in indoor tandem cycling sessions twice a week, with session duration progressing from 15 to 45 minutes. The intensity of cycling also varied, ranging from light/moderate to higher intensity. Post-testing occurred 48 hours after the completion of the final cycling session. Statistical analysis of intervention-induced changes was conducted using paired t-tests with significance set at p<0.05.
Results: Clinical improvements for PD patients were significant, with a mean MDS-UPDRS-III score decrease of –7.38 (p
Conclusion: After completing the 8 week tandem cycling program, notable health benefits were evident for both CPs and individuals with PD. In summary, this study demonstrated tandem cycling may serve as a therapeutic intervention to improve the physical health and wellbeing of families impacted by Parkinson's disease.
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HGS-3 The Influence of a Tandem Cycling Program in the Community on Physical and Functional Health, Therapeutic Bonds, and Quality of Life for Individuals and Care Partners Coping with Parkinson’s Disease
University Readiness Center Greatroom
Purpose Statement: Several studies have shown that aerobic exercise can have a positive impact on alleviating symptoms experienced by individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite this evidence, the potential benefits of exercise for both PD patients and their care partners (PD dyad) remain unexplored. This research project investigates the effectiveness, therapeutic collaborations, and physical outcomes of a virtual reality (VR) tandem cycling program specifically designed for PD dyads.
Methods: Following approval from the Prisma Health Institutional Review Board, individuals with PD were identified and screened by clinical neurologists. The pre-testing measures for PD dyads (N=9) included emotional and cognitive status questionnaires such as the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measure Information System (PROMIS-29) and Geriatric Depression Scale- Short Form (GDS-SF). The physical function of PD patients was assessed using the Functional Gait Analysis (FGA) and 10-meter gait speed test. Firstbeat heart rate (HR) monitors were also used to assess changes in PD dyads’ HR variability before and after the intervention. Over the course of 8 weeks, the dyads engaged in indoor tandem cycling sessions twice a week, with session duration progressing from 15 to 45 minutes. The intensity of cycling also varied, ranging from light/moderate to higher intensity. Post-testing occurred 48 hours after the completion of the final cycling session. Statistical analysis of intervention-induced changes was conducted using paired t-tests with significance set at p<0.05.
Results: Clinical improvements for PD patients were significant, with a mean MDS-UPDRS-III score decrease of –7.38 (p
Conclusion: After completing the 8 week tandem cycling program, notable health benefits were evident for both CPs and individuals with PD. In summary, this study demonstrated tandem cycling may serve as a therapeutic intervention to improve the physical health and wellbeing of families impacted by Parkinson's disease.